By Atoyebi Nike
Thirty-five Nigerian nationals, including five minors and nine women, have been repatriated from Ireland in a government-led deportation exercise described as the first African-bound charter flight operation of the year.
The Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), which oversaw the removal, confirmed that the children involved were part of family units. The group was flown out of Dublin Airport on the night of Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in a chartered aircraft that later landed in Nigeria after making an unplanned stop to address a medical situation on board.
This marks the third deportation operation involving chartered flights since Ireland began using such measures in February 2025. However, it is the first charter repatriation directed to the African continent this year.
Ireland’s Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan, stressed that the country operates a structured immigration framework and that compliance is vital. He reiterated that individuals who exhaust all legal avenues for international protection and receive deportation orders are required to exit the state.
O’Callaghan explained that such removal operations are necessary to uphold the integrity of the Irish immigration system, ensuring that legal migration channels remain credible and protected. He noted, “Those who choose to stay in Ireland unlawfully must understand there are consequences.”
Despite the medical incident, authorities confirmed that the flight continued and all 35 individuals arrived safely in Nigeria. The government maintains that these actions are a key part of enforcing a rules-based system, and more operations may follow as necessary.
